Nurses Locked Out at St. Joe’s Hospital

Nurses at Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet were scheduled to start a two day strike on Tuesday. Instead, the nurses learned they would be locked out of the hospital for four days.

The St. Joe’s Nurses Association has accused Ascension of ‘unfair labor practices.’ Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy tells WJOL that he asked Ascension to not lock out the nurses.

I asked Ascension not to lock out nurses but they didn’t agree to that. I asked them to get to the table a week ago. I said ‘why are we waiting seven nights for a lock out. When we should be negotiating.’ I said to get it done before the 22nd. They said they had to take a four day contract to our substitute nurses. I’m mad at big business for playing like this. 

Nurses last went on strike in July 2020. That strike was when the facility was known as Amita St. Joseph Medical Center.